It wouldn't be much of a year for gamers if Nintendo's iconic mascots didn't make some sort of appearance. And while most of the year was pretty dry as far as Mario and Link were concerned, it could be argued that Nintendo was merely trying to get it all out of their system (or on their system, rather) at once.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl hit the Wii in early February. To say that this was the biggest Smash Bros. Game ever would be an understatement. The total playable cast ballooned to 35 characters. Plenty of old favorites returned – Mario, Link, Peach, Zelda, Samus, Pikachu, Donkey Kong and so forth. A few entirely new faces reared their heads – Wario, Pit, Toon Link, and even obscure heroes like R.O.B. The Robot. And that's not even counting the numerous guest stars, from the dozens of Pokemon to assist trophies like Little Mac and Sonic's pal Tails.

Best. Brawl. Ever.

Gamers even got a chance to pit their favorite Nintendo heroes against the competition. The rumor that Sonic the Hedgehog was a playable character in Melee became a reality in Brawl. And for good measure, Solid Snake crept his way into the lineup with signature cardboard box in tow. The rest of the year was pretty devoid of Nintendo goodness, but Brawl's huge roster and lasting appeal almost made up for it.

A new Grand Theft Auto meant a new anti-hero for gamers to become acquainted with. Grand Theft Auto IV returned to Liberty City and put players in the worn shoes of Niko Bellic. This former soldier from Serbia dreamed of a better life in America. His cousin Roman coaxed him across the pond with promises of money, women, and fast cars.

Unfortunately, Niko learned the same lesson all GTA stars do. Life likes to throw a wrench in your well laid plans. Niko didn't find Liberty City to be the paradise he expected. But rather than whine about it, Niko decided to just take what he wanted. So began his rise to power in the Liberty City underworld. Like all GTA characters, he committed some pretty heinous acts in the process. But more so than any previous character, gamers felt real sympathy for Niko. He is easily the most complex of the bunch, and for many gamers he became a favorite.

Snake reminded us why it is good to reload.

Another franchise reached the big "4" mark, but this time with an established character. Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots offered what appeared to be the last adventure starring Solid Snake. Snake's body is turning old and gray, less because of his age than his failing genetics.

MGS IV capped off the series by addressing many of the questions the series has raised over the years. Plenty of fan-favorites returned, including Meryl, Mei Ling, Liquid Ocelot, and Raiden. Snake's final mission was arguably his best. It was certainly the prettiest. And though all indications point to MGS IV being Snake's last hurrah, it's not inconceivable to think that the series will soldier on in some form or another.

Later in the summer, a familiar franchise gave birth to an entirely new hero. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was a multimedia project that took place between the events of Episode III and IV. It starred a previously unrevealed Jedi named Galen Marek, code-named Starkiller.

Force-throw TIE Fighters. 'Nuff said.

Starkiller was raised to be Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice. He served his master's bidding by slaughtering the few remaining Jedi. However, he developed a conscience during his missions, and he eventually found himself fighting on the opposite side of the Galactic Civil War. By the end of the game, fans had a whole new outlook on the early days of the Rebellion.

While there were plenty of sequels on hand to ring in the holiday season, no returning characters have made quite the splash this year like the boys of Delta Squad. Gears of War 2 follows the continued adventures of Marcus Fenix and friends. As long as these soldiers keep their Lancers ammoed up, they'll stand with the biggest of the big.